Geo+School+Marauders

= Geo M. Etry School= = = = =

Our final product for sale at TheGameCrafter.com
Dana Ditman - dlditman@gmail.com Sue Harlan- sharlan22@gmail.com ** Click here to view the Original Version of the game Our current gameboard is a hybrid of the following two: = =  **Card samples:** Earlier versions of our cards: = = == ==
 * Ronnie Clark - ronnie.cross82@gmail.com Deborah Lawson - calif7ornia@gmail.com

Newest Card Version: Consequence Cards:

Formula Cards for Unlocking Doors:

Instructional Objective:
Learners will be able to recognize and identify basic geometric shapes and perform basic geometric calculations. Playing the game will allow learners to practice solving equations and to review basic geometric terms and concepts. Learners will define terms, solve problems and identify concepts.

Grades 3–5 Expectations: (NCTE) In grades 3–5 all students should:
 * identify, compare, and analyze attributes of two-dimensional shapes and develop vocabulary to describe the attributes;
 * classify two-dimensional shapes according to their properties and develop definitions of classes of shapes such as triangles and pyramids;
 * investigate, describe, and reason about the results of subdividing, combining, and transforming shapes
 * explore congruence and similarity;

1.0 Students understand and compute the volumes and areas of simple objects:
 * California Curriculum Framework: 5th Grade Measurement and Geometry**
 * 1.1 Derive and use the formula for the area of a triangle and of a parallelogram by comparing it with the formula for the area of a rectangle (i.e., two of the same triangles make a parallelogram with twice the area; a parallelogram is compared with a rectangle of the same area by cutting and pasting a right triangle on the parallelogram).
 * 1.4 Differentiate between, and use appropriate units of measures for, two- and three-dimensional objects (i.e., find the perimeter, area, volume).

2.0 Students identify, describe, and classify the properties of, and the relationships between, plane and solid geometric figures:

2.2 Know that the sum of the angles of any triangle is 180° and the sum of the angles of any quadrilateral is 360° and use this information to solve problems.


 * The learners will learn shape concepts, recognize and/or create geometry patterns, recognize the relationships between shapes, solve geometric equations, and recognize geometric shapes in the world around them .**

Learners & Context of Use
The game questions are designed for 5th or 6th grade elementary students. The game is designed to be played with no more than 4 players or teams. For a classroom setting, the players would need a supply of scratch paper, pencils, (or a small erasable whiteboard and markers.) Variations: In addition to using the basic rules to review and practice geometry definitions and formulas, the game can be used in other ways. The teacher can filter the question cards by difficulty or topic to adapt to different students' skill levels. Teachers may use just the cards and answer sheet for whole class review. The teacher may also pull the formula questions and have players use only the short answer and definition cards for a faster version of the game. Students who have an affinity for math or want to practice their skills can play on their own for fun and review.

To set-up the game, players would place the question cards face down in designated locations around the school, and place the player pawns at the entrance door to the school. One die comes with the game.

When Players answer a questions correctly, they keep that question card which indicates a particular shape/object. After the game, cards would be re-stacked in the original container, with the playing boards stacked and cards, pawns and die placed in a plastic bag.

The game can be set up on a table or on the floor. Players would need a solid surface to write their calculations on such as a table, floor, whiteboard, or clipboard. Each game would play out differently as the requirement boards and the questions drawn change with each game.

Competing Products
There are many geometry games suited to classroom use. Geometry Piratesis similar to our geometry game in that it requires shape recognition and collecting shapes to win. It is different in that it is geared toward younger kids and limited to basic shape recognition unlike ours which requires solving mathematical problems. Many of the games, like Blokus, are more patterning games or puzzles like Pentimino Puzzle Blokus players plan ways of creating patterns and filling the playing area with shapes. Pentimino Puzzle uses 3D shapes to create and identify geometric shapes and relationships. Angleside School Adventure is a colorful and inviting game of measuring angles. It even includes a built-in compass. It focuses on just the angle aspect of geometry. The board's appearance makes me want to learn to play it. Unlike many of the geometry games we've reviewed, our game involves turn-taking, problem solving, and strategy in placing tiles and gaining points. Searching the web for geometry games brought up many games that were basically patterning or puzzles. We did not see a game that included solving geometry formulas in a competitive arena.

Object of the Game
The goal of the game is for the player to collect objects by solving elementary geometric problems answering questions. The person who collects all the objects on his requirements board and returns first to the principal's office, wins.

Content Analysis
or answering questions. || Game set-up || identification of shapes to solving complex equations. || Variety of cards: Geometric shapes are evident in the world around us. Identify shapes in surrounding classroom. || * School/classroom environment == ==
 * ~ Content Type ||~ Content Elements ||~ Game Elements ||
 * ===**Facts**=== || * Geometry vocabulary
 * Facts
 * Formulas. || * Game boards
 * parts
 * tokens/shapes ||
 * ===**Concepts**=== || * Geometry is all around us.
 * Shapes are composed of basic parts.
 * Small shapes combine to form larger.
 * Area
 * Perimeter
 * Properties of lines
 * Types of angles || * Concept of board game
 * Win or lose
 * Take turns. ||
 * ===**Principles**=== || * Geometric principles
 * Relationship of parts to whole
 * Relationship of angles to shapes
 * Relationship of lines to angles
 * Perpendicular
 * Parallel || * Taking turns
 * Adhering to rules. ||
 * ===**Procedures**=== || Steps for solving the equation questions. || Method of moving through game:
 * draw
 * solve
 * place shape on board
 * acquire and add up points
 * determine winner. ||
 * ===**Processes**=== || Thought process for solving equations
 * ===**Probabilities**=== || Different levels of questions: from basic
 * questions
 * solve equations
 * identification
 * consequence cards
 * bonus cards. ||
 * ===**Context**=== || 5th grade geometry
 * common furniture/accessory
 * shapes and placement. ||
 * ===**Vantage Points**=== || * 5th grade student
 * Elementary student
 * Math enthusiast
 * Participant in math decathlon (practice) || * Player
 * time keeper
 * question checker ||

**Game Materials**
**The game contains:**
 * 1 playing board that represents rooms within a school
 * 1 standard die
 * 4 decks of question cards with Chance, Consequence, and Courtyard cards in each deck
 * 4 formula cards
 * 4 colored pawns
 * 8 homework assignment cards


 * Objective:** Premise: Students need to complete all homework assignments before being allowed to attend Outdoor Ed Camp, but some students have forgotten their homework and need to return to school after school hours to get their materials.The winner is the first to finish all homework (collect all required shapes) and then the first to reach the principal's office to turn it in.

The goal is to gather all the items from the homework card. Each player will gather items by gaining access to classrooms by resolving the lock code (answering a formula question.)
 * 1) The game contains 4 decks of cards With questions pertaining to the shape on the back (Circle, Quadrilateral, Polygon and Triangle).
 * 2) Player wins a shape card by answering that question correctly.(This applies to all players, including those who answer correctly from the courtyard.)
 * 3) First player to collect all Homework items and return to the principal's office wins.


 * Contents**


 * Card deck contains:
 * Geometry questions
 * Definitions
 * Identification of shapes
 * Word problems
 * Solving equations
 * Extra Credit or Detention Cards (progress reports, fire drill) which give player bonus shapes or questions, as well as obstacles.
 * Types of cards
 * Hall Pass (wild card which could take the place of any shape on the homework card)
 * Progress Report (good or bad- gives or takes away a shape)
 * Open House - player gets to blindly take one random card from another player
 * Courtyard card which would open up a question to anyone in the courtyard. Some would be instant answers (like name the shape pictured on this card, or what does the formula 1/2 b(h) solve for?)


 * Process/Movement** :
 * Players take turns rolling a die and moving their pawns around the board.
 * Play happens counter-clockwise.
 * Players must roll a die and move the indicated number of squares to land in the doorway of a classroom (need not be on exact count.)
 * After a player answers a question correctly, he must leave the room. A player who answers incorrectly may stay in that room for one more question, and then they must move to another room.
 * Leave the room by rolling die and moving to next room.
 * Both the Science and Computer Labs have shortcut doors in the backs of the rooms. Exiting through these doors takes player directly to the opposite room. Player must chose whether to make the move indicated by the die or to move to the shortcut room.
 * Complete Homework card by collecting shapes (cards.)
 * First to fill requirements and return to the principal's office wins and gets to go to Outdoor Math Camp.
 * Topics**
 * surface area
 * perimeter
 * word problems
 * situational questions
 * area of rectangle, triangle, parallelogram

**Time Required**
The game would take 5 minutes to set up. The game time limit is a maximum of 30 minutes. Teacher can also call the game and declare the person with the most requirement card items the winner. Packing up the game would require re-stacking playing cards, placing homework cards and cheat sheets in plastic bags. Die, board, cards, pawns and plastic bags are returned to the box.
 * Time limit/point goals:**

To win the game:

 * ======Collect all the objects on the Homework  card. ======
 * ======Return first with all located objects to the principal's office ======

Additional materials you may need :

 * ======Scratch paper or small erasable white board ======
 * ======Pencil/marker ======
 * ======Eraser ======

Before you begin:

 * ======Shuffle the deck of question and chance cards together and put them in the designated card areas in each classroom. ======
 * Shuffle the homework requirement cards and place face down on the table outside the game board area.
 * Hand out a "Cheat Sheet" to each player.

 To begin:

 * Each player selects a pawn.
 * 1) =====Each player draws a homework requirement card that lists the items he will need to collect.=====
 * 2) Each player receives a formula card.
 * 3) Shortest player goes first.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Players position their pawns at the front door.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">First player in action rolls die and moves pawn indicated number of spaces toward a classroom which contains a shape on the homework card. Player enters through the classroom door.

Action:

 * 1) ====The next step is to enter a classroom room and earn a shape (classroom object.) Each classroom represents one shape:====
 * ====Circle====
 * ====triangle====
 * ====parallelogram (square & rectangle)====
 * ====trapezoid====
 * 1) ====In a room with a shortcut, player may move to the connected room on the next turn. No roll is needed. No formula card required.====


 * ==Question Cards:==

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">

 * 1) =====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">When the player answers the question, the referee (player to turn-taker's right) checks the <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">teacher answer key <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> for the correct answer. If the answer is right, the player keeps the card indicating the shape. If the answer is not right, the referee does NOT tell the right answer, she cuts the question card back into the deck. The player may stay in the room and draw another card on his next turn. After his second attempt, he must move to another room. <span style="color: #0a9207; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> =====
 * 2) ====After a player answers a question correctly, she must leave the room.====
 * 3) =====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">After a player answers, the turn goes to the next player to his left. =====
 * 4) =====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Players keep the question cards that they answer correctly. Used CHANCE cards are placed in a discard pile. =====
 * ==Winning:==

As soon as a player has collected all the shapes on her homework card, she must plan the shortest
====route to the principal's office. Players land on the Finish arrow at the Principal's office but they must roll a 1 to get in. More than one player may be parked on the finish arrow taking turns to roll a 1.====

**Motivational Issues**
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Applying John M. Keller’s **//ARCS//** model to our game, our team used the motivational strategies of: getting our audience’s **Attention**, establishing the **Relevance** of the material, building players’ **Confidence** and assuring their **Satisfaction** with the gaming experience. These strategies may also be described in terms of Malone & Lepper’s, **//Taxonomy of Intrinsic Motivations for Learning//**.

The game grabs players’ **//Attention//** stimulating **//Perceptual Arousal//** with colorful packaging and attractive game paraphernalia. **//Inquiry Arousal//** and **//Variability//** are invoked when we piqué **//Curiosity//** as players wonder:

· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">What card will I get? · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">What will the chance card require of me? · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">What kind of questions are in the deck?


 * //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Relevance //**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> of the material is assured by our audience’s familiarity with the subject matter. We have designed the game around 5th and 6th grade California math standards for Geometry. The overarching goal is demonstrating proficiency on state objectives. The game is well matched to teachers and students motive of working toward achieving that mastery. Toward that goal, we have attended to the **//Challeng//**e of the material through:

· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Question difficulty · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Strategy for collecting the correct shapes · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Losing or giving up shapes to other players · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Planning best route to each classroom · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Planning best exit strategy to get to the principal's office first · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Being able to provide or recognize formula to get into the classroom

Players’ **//Confidence//** grows as they successfully answer game questions. All players have access to a formula job aid (**//Learning Requirements//**), so no one must have the material memorized. All players who can select an appropriate formula and apply it to a scenario can be **//successful//**. This gives each player a fair amount of **//personal control//**. **//Personal Control/Power//** is also evident in the following game processes:

· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Reward of gathering shapes · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Answering questions correctly- especially in front of friends · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Percentage of simple ID and definition questions promise success · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Freedom of action in choosing which path and which room · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Freedom to choose shortcut when the opportunity arises

Player **//Satisfaction//** is assured by the field leveling elements of the game. The elements of chance and the formula job aid assure that players with a range of skills can play together in a meaningful way. The elements of chance result in **//Natural//** negative and **//Positive//** **//Consequences//** and the rules of play and the job aid assure **//Equity//**.

While not as critical to the purpose of our game, the design does provide some elements of **//Fantasy//** through:

· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Getting into the theme of the game · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Racing through school spaces and around obstacles and accessing classrooms · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Racing to the principal's office to turn in homework sheet first


 * //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Competition //**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">is hot as players strive to:

· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Race other players to rooms · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Collect objects before others · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Answer questions that others don't  ·  <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Figure out the shortest path to a room · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">Get to the principal's office first

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">This game is our effort to **//Make Leaning Fun//** for 6th grade math students. We aspire to provide a tool that contributes to building a learning environment that Malone and Keller describe as intrinsically motivating.

** Design Process **
Initially, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the original game idea was a more cooperative, design-oriented game. The reality of creating a game that did not have a winner, that had very few rules or limits was too unstructured for our purpose. At first we thought about the pieces representing the actual geometric shapes of furniture; however, trying to relate the shapes to the board as well as the types of pieces available in Game Crafters changed our direction. The game evolved into single-player boards, question and consequence cards, and tokens or pla ce holders. We needed to make the game more competitive with challenges and an obvious winner. This led to four different levels of difficulty cards and a wide range of chance or consequence cards. We added a time limit to both the questions and the overall game play time.

We deliberated about the best method for presenting or discovering the correct answers to the questions. If the answers appeared on the front of the card, then the card drawer could see it; if on the back, the others would see the answer which would rule-out the ability to steal if the first player answered incorrectly. We decided to include a player who acted as a referee (guidance counselor?) who would keep track of turns, questions, answers, tokens and timer.

At first we were going to have one player or team answer a question while the other players waited or solved it on their own hoping for a chance at the points. Logistically, this was difficult as far as who held the card with the question, how could everyone see it, etc. We decided that each team/player would draw his own separate question card and each would have a time limit to solve the question. The referee player would call time and hand out any winning tokens. After teacher evaluation, we scrubbed our first board and worked on a completely new design. We settled on a board which contains representations of a school's classrooms. Each classroom contains cards with representative geometric shapes and geometry questions. Players move from room to room, answering questions and winning shapes.

Some content and expert opinion came from a 5th grade math teacher, random 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students, as well as an online math textbook and NationalCouncil ofTeachers of Mathematics website. Dana was the first to play test the game with a group of her 6th graders. She video taped the process and captured the students' enthusiasm during play. Sue first play tested the game using a method recommended by the Game Board Design Forum, the Tea Party test (no political associations!) She pretended to play the game with dummy players just to get a sense of movement and function of the game. She then used family members to fill those dummy spots (no offense to family members) for reactions and timing of solutions.

Both Sue and Dana have play-tested the game again. Each team member brings more modifications to the scenario, the game board, and the rules of the game as recommended by the players. Sue's players thought turns took too long with one die. They recommended adding definitions to the cheat sheet in addition to the formulas. We also discovered we didn't have an option for a Courtyard card when no pawns were in the courtyard. We have also struggled with 2 options: whether to have the shape designated by each room determine what shape the player wins or whether the card question determines the winning shape. If not the room option, players have no reason to visit each room. We have settled on four basic shape categories, one shape per room and only one shape category question per room. We expect the game to continue to evolve as we press on toward production.

One of the most difficult issues was where to locate the answer to the the math questions. If the answers were on the fronts of the cards, the responder would see the answer, if on the back, the responder would see the answer as he drew the card. We considered having the player to the turn-taker's right read the card, but what if the turn-taker needed to see the drawing on the card? We considered having a "Teacher's answer key" that contained all the answers to corresponding questions, but it would be one more piece to the game to handle and manage. The next idea we had was to have the answers on the back of the card, encased in a shape slightly filled-in with color, but TheGameCrafter does not allow individual printing on the back side of each card in a deck. Our final decision was to have an answer sheet and different players take turns consulting the answer sheet. That way, each player has more exposure to the correct information.

Ultimately, what would be ideal would be to have actual geometric tiles that the player would win. He would then need to piece his tiles together to form the shape indicated on his homework card (much like pattern blocks.) This would require the player to plan different strategies of building or completing the shape.

**References**
Malloy, C., Price, J., Willard, T., & Sloan, L. (2003). //Pre-algebra// (rev. ed.). New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. Schell, J. (2008). //The art of game design.// Boston: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers. Electronic
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